ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rash — hasty
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. tube — a container
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. rash — a series
  12. can — to be able to
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. can — a tin
  15. fine — high quality
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fine — all right
  22. wind — moving air
  23. can — a tin
  24. wind — moving air

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com